Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

xiAcknowledgementsThis extended reflection has been made possible through the invaluablecontribution of many. Firstly, I owe deep gratitude to those people withintellectual disability living in institutions with whom I engage in pastoralrelationship. These people have graciously accepted me into their lives,honouring me with their stories. In doing so they have enabled me to constructcollective narratives of which a number have found their way into this thesis. Itruly hope that my pastoral analysis and understanding of these stories, too easilyhidden from public consideration over generations, afford faithful descriptionand insight.I also wish to thank my principal supervisor, Dr Lorna Hallahan, whoalways offered wise and generous critique, encouraging me to find my truepastoral voice, and to conceive of ideas and discourses well beyond initialconceptualisations. Your affirming critical engagement enabled me to stay thecourse of a both stimulating yet exhausting journey. I hope the conclusions tothis reflection bear faithful testimony to your scholarly and faith-basedpromptings. I also wish to offer gratitude to my secondary supervisor, Dr NeilPembroke, whose detailed and constructive levels of analysis necessarilychallenged me to develop thoughtful and well-considered argument. Youstimulated me to develop a thesis built upon a well-conceived and appliedacademic framework.I also wish to express thanks to Rev. Richard Miller. Your belief that Icould make a worthy pastoral contribution as a disability chaplain, and yoursustaining support, encouraged me in my vocation and assisted me in becomingan enquiring student of disability.I am also grateful for the wise counsel and collegial support I receivedfrom my fellow chaplains, Rev. Noel Bekker, Rev. Anne Hewitt and Rev. BruceStocks. Your commitment to the narratives that I presented to you for pastoralcritique added crucial rigor to the hermeneutics of analysis and understanding.You saw things that I was too close to see.And finally, but of utmost importance, I express deep gratitude to mywife and loving companion, Lyn. Despite the intrusion of academic demands intothe domestic context your constant support and care proved utterly reassuring.